


Trick or Treat

by LissaMU



Series: Trick or Treat [1]
Category: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Pride and Prejudice (1995), Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Grad Student Elizabeth Bennet, Halloween, Stripper Elizabeth Bennet, Wealthy Darcy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-08 21:55:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16437542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LissaMU/pseuds/LissaMU
Summary: William Darcy hates Halloween, which also happens to be his birthday. But a knock on his door might just change his mind.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm pretty sure I wrote this one as part of a challenge or holiday-themed event back in the Hyacinth Gardens/Firthness forums days. It became a series, the other two parts of which I'll post in due course. Hope you enjoy!

William Darcy had always hated having his birthday on Halloween. It started when he was little, and people felt that giving him extra candy would be adequate for a birthday gift. Then there was the fact that the stupid holiday always overshadowed what was supposed to be _his_ day. When he turned 16, his buddies had wanted to trick-or-treat one last time rather than come to his birthday party. When he turned 18, they turned the birthday party into a costume party; half the people there didn't bring gifts or even wish him a happy birthday because they thought it was just another Halloween soirée. When he turned 21, a huge costume party at a popular bar took precedence over the bash he had wanted to have. By the age of 27, he had grown bitter about the holiday and had given up on celebrating his birthday at all.

And so it was that on the night of his 28th birthday, William found himself sitting in a dark house (lights off to avoid trick-or-treaters) settling in to watch a non-scary movie (he couldn't abide their connection to this day), when a most unexpected thing happened: the doorbell rang. At first, thinking it was a rogue gang of kids who knocked on dark houses, he ignored it, but the caller rang again, then again. Curious, he tiptoed to the door and looked out the peephole. In the dark he could vaguely make out what looked to be a very adult female form. He turned on the porch light and opened the door.

There stood a voluptuous, long-legged, sparkling-eyed beauty dressed in a French maid's uniform that was far too short for housework. She leaned against the doorframe provocatively and said in a sensual, husky voice, 'Happy birthday, stud… or should I say, trick-or-treat?'

William was stunned. Not that it was a bad thing, but it was a wee bit unusual for strange women dressed for sexual role-play to show up at his door. Could it be that someone had finally gotten him a birthday present that was actually worth something?

'Who are you?' he asked incredulously. 'You seem a little old for trick-or-treating.' The brunette smiled coyly and walked past him into the foyer.

'You're never too old for trick-or-treating, William.'

'How do you know my name?' She shook her head indulgently.

'Really, William, did you think your friend Charles would send me over here to entertain you without giving me any information about you?' William groaned. _Of course… only Charles would do something like this_.

'So, uh, you're here to… _entertain_ me? How so, Miss…?'

'Call me Lizzy. I think you know very well how, Mr. Darcy.' With a raised eyebrow, Lizzy took his hand and led him to sit on one of his dining table chairs. 'Just relax. Can I use your stereo?' William nodded dumbly. Lizzy took a CD from her apron pocket and made a show of bending over the stereo to load it, giving William a more than revealing look at what was barely hiding under her little skirt. The music began, a slow, sensual rhythm not unusual in pornographic films. Lizzy bent over her left leg until she grasped her ankle, then slowly straightened as she ran her hands up her leg. William's jaw dropped when she repeated the action with the other leg. Then she turned and placed her foot on William's leg, unclipping her garter and rolling her stocking down. She removed her other stocking in the same manner and tossed it aside. The little top followed, revealing a black, lacy bra; then came the little skirt, leaving her in a tiny black G-string that revealed much more than it covered. In this state, she began to walk towards William, fire in her eyes and seduction in her step.

With amazing agility, she wrapped first one leg, then the other around his body and the chair and pressed her body against his, breathing onto his neck in a way that sent chills up his spine. Her legs tightly holding her in the seat, Lizzy leaned backwards, her long hair touching the floor. William could not resist the urge to run his hand along her rock-hard stomach and ample cleavage. Lizzy knew she shouldn't allow him to touch her; it was well known that strippers were not to be touched. But the rush of heat that she felt when he put his hand on her made her forget common sense. She pulled her torso back up and found herself nose-to-nose with William, his eyes dark with lust and his respiration heavy with desire. He wrapped his hands around her lower back and pulled her closer, breathing in the scent of her hair, relishing in the feeling of her smooth skin. He could not remember the last time he had felt such passion.

Lizzy knew that things were getting out of control. _This is just an act_ , she tried to tell herself. _You need to stop this_. With all the willpower she could muster, she pried herself out of his arms and off the chair. Bereft of his heat, her nipples visibly hardened under her bra. She tried to pull herself together and continue the dance; she turned her back to him but looked at him over her shoulder as her hands went to the clasps of the bra. Before she could do anything, she heard his deep voice say, 'Please stop.'

'I'm sorry?' She could hardly believe her ears. He wanted her to _stop_?

'Stop. Please, don't take that off.' William's voice was almost desperate in his plea.

'Why not? That's what I was hired to do.' He grabbed her wrist to keep it away from the bra.

'Didn't you feel it?' She eyed him quizzically, but deep down she knew what he meant.

'Feel what?' she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

'The… the _connection_ between us. You have to have felt it.'

'That tends to happen when a half-naked woman sits on a man's lap Mr. Darcy.'

'I don't mean _that_ Lizzy. It was more than a fucking erection. I've never felt this much… _need_. Please, don't take off any more clothes. If you do, everything will be different. Here, put these back on too. Let's talk for a while.'

'Talk? Are you kidding me?' He was making her nervous now; did he think something was going to come of this?

'I'm sorry, I'm sure I sound completely ridiculous. Here, stripper, put your clothes back on. I know, I'm probably making you feel weird. But I can't explain what it is… there's just something in your eyes… Do you know what I mean?' Lizzy wanted to say no. Her premotor cortex was primed to make her head shake from side to side.

'Yes,' she said instead, 'I know exactly what you mean.' William smiled brightly, and all of Lizzy's fears dissipated.

'Here, take this,' he offered her his sweater. 'You must be cold.' She put it on, noticing the arousing scent of him. 'So what do you do, Lizzy? Er, besides the obvious.'

'Actually, I'm doing this to help pay for grad school. I'm getting a master's in literature. I really only dance for private stuff like this, for people I know, not in clubs or anything.'

'So how do you know Charles?'

'He's my sister's boyfriend actually. When he heard that I did this, he thought it would be a great joke to send me to you. He said you hate Halloween, and he wanted to see if anything could change your mind,' she laughed.

'Wait… so you're Elizabeth Bennet?'

'Yes… why?' William couldn't help chuckling.

'Charles and Jane have been trying to get me to meet you for ages, but I hate getting fixed up, so I've been avoiding them. If I had known… well, I would have met you a lot sooner.' They continued to talk for a while longer, sharing stories about each other. Knocks of trick-or-treaters, drawn to the house by the lit porch light, were completely ignored as they grew more oblivious to their surroundings.

Sometime during their conversation, William had taken Elizabeth's hand and did not relinquish it. He made tea, and when he returned, sat closer to her than he had been before. Then, while they were talking, in the middle of some inconsequential words about the weather or the state of the roads, William found his lips upon hers. She melted into his arms, returning his kiss with a passion she did not know she was capable of.

'This is crazy,' she whispered when their mouths briefly parted.

'Completely,' he replied before leaning in again.

'We shouldn't be doing this.' He picked her up off the ground and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

'Absolutely.' He carried her this way up the stairs and opened his bedroom door.

'This sort of thing doesn't happen. There is no love at first sight.' He closed the door behind him and placed her on the bed, climbing on top of her.

'Yes, there is.' Elizabeth did not have time to argue before his lips crushed against hers again, but after briefly giving in, she pushed him back. 'You can't be serious William. We've only just met. I came over here to _strip_ for your birthday. That's hardly a foundation for romance.'

'Elizabeth, don't you think there is a reason Charles sent _you_ over here? That he and your sister have been trying to set us up forever? They knew we'd be perfect together. And they knew that the moment I saw you, I wouldn't let you finish your act. Don't tell me you didn't feel it Lizzy.' As he spoke, he remained above her, whispering into her ear, pleading with her to understand. She did.

'Yes… but it's crazy… it's too soon, too fast, too…' William shut her up with a kiss.

'You know, strippers aren't supposed to talk this much. So shush.' Elizabeth smacked him playfully and used her strong legs to usurp the top position.

'That's not the way to win a girl's compliance Mr. Darcy. I think I'll have to show you a thing or two about how to talk to a lady.' Perfectly happy in his new subordinate position, Darcy grinned wickedly as he groped her bottom.

'Yes, Miss Bennet. I'm ready to learn.' Elizabeth began a torturous lesson with what would quickly become William's favourite teaching tool: her tongue. She licked and nipped at his neck as she unbuttoned his shirt, and once that was out of the way, she gave his chest and abdomen the same treatment. With tantalizing slowness, she continued her descent, leisurely undoing his jeans and pulling them off. 'What happened to going slowly, Elizabeth?' William teased.

'I think I'm going very slowly, William. You could have been naked by now.' With a waggle of the eyebrows, Elizabeth stood up and turned on the lights of the room. Her eyes widened a bit when she looked down at his boxers, the thin fabric barely restraining the flesh that was pushing its way out. William gave her an amused glance, as if challenging her to continue her lesson now. Instead she turned her back to him and reached toward the bra clasps again. 'Can I take this off now? Or do you still think it would ruin everything?' she teased.

William could find no objections this time and watched with great interest as Elizabeth removed the silky garment. He could feel himself hardening with each millimetre that the strap moved down her arm. At last she turned around and let it fall to the floor. William's eyes and boxers bulged at the sight of Elizabeth almost entirely bare. Elizabeth sauntered back over to the bed and crawled onto William on all fours.

'Oh God,' he cried in a strangled voice. Enjoying this power she held over him, Elizabeth hovered above him, not quite touching him except to push him down when he tried to reach for her.

'Weren't you complaining about going too fast? I wouldn't want to shock you.'

'I wasn't complaining!' he whined, desperately trying to touch her but getting slapped away each time. 'Please Elizabeth, I need you.' Elizabeth couldn't reject this polite request and pressed herself entirely against him. He sighed with relief and began to run his hands along her body. Lost in the pleasing sensations of his touch, Elizabeth forgot all about her lesson; when William rolled them over to be on top again, she didn't mind. 'Elizabeth…' he began breathlessly.

'Yes,' she interrupted, knowing what he wanted. With a nod, William leapt up and ransacked his bathroom until he found a luckily-still-in-date pack of condoms. He returned to her fully exposed, sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine. This would be quite a night indeed. Without another word, he went to her again, removing the tiny scrap of fabric dividing them, and at her smile of encouragement, entered her deeply.

Elizabeth cried out at the welcome intrusion. His every touch was directed to giving her pleasure, and give her pleasure he did. She writhed and moaned beneath him, the flush of her skin guiding him to his next destination. He held himself back until he felt her climax once, and again… at last he could not control the wave any longer, and he collapsed onto her body that was now slick with perspiration.

Lust was now replaced by tenderness as he rolled onto his side and covered her face with little kisses. She smiled at him with a teasing glow in her eyes.

'How do you feel about Halloween now William?'

'I do believe it is my favourite holiday Elizabeth. Now about my birthday…'

**********

After Elizabeth took care of William's birthday present, the pair collapsed into a sweaty tangle of arms and legs. They held each other for a long time, pushing back thoughts of reality and consequences in order to stay in this fantasy for a bit longer. Reality did intrude, however, and William found a most unwelcome thought entering his head: had she done this before? She did not seem the type to just sleep with her 'customers', but then again, she didn't seem much the type to be a stripper either. He tried desperately to ignore the thought, but it continued to gnaw at him until he could not hold back.

'I hope you don't give all your clients such personal attention,' he whispered in what he hoped was a teasing tone. Elizabeth snuggled close to him and replied in kind.

'No, only the exceptionally good-looking ones in need of a little birthday cheer.' He smiled, understanding her meaning. 'Do you usually take your personal strippers to bed?' He wrapped his arms around her tightly.

'Every single one.' They necked and talked for a while longer until Elizabeth saw the clock.

'Oh man! I should get going. I have another job in an hour.' He looked at her like she was insane.

'Another job? You mean another stripping job?' She rolled her eyes.

'Yeah. One of my friends asked me to dance at his buddy's bachelor party. Fortunately, they're a bunch of research scientists, so it shouldn't be anything rowdy.' William could not believe his ears. They had just shared several hours of intimacy and passion, and she was talking about getting naked for other people?

'You can't be serious Lizzy. You don't actually intend to take your clothes off for other men _now_ , after all this?'

'I have to William. I get paid in advance; I can't just not show up. I didn't know _this_ was going to happen when I took the other job.' William sat up on the bed and pulled his shorts on, angrily running his hands through his hair.

'So was this just some sleazy one-night stand for you? Is that it?' Elizabeth was affronted.

'I didn't say that! I certainly hope it's not!'

'Well I don't see how we can carry on any sort of relationship if you continue to strip!'

'How dare you! We just met, and you think you can just tell me what to do?' He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her gently.

'Elizabeth, we _slept_ together! Doesn't that mean anything to you? Because it means a lot to me, and if you expect me to just sit here while other men watch you take your clothes off, you're crazy.' Lizzy crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

'And what do you suggest I do William? I _have_ to go to this party tonight. It was a personal favour and I was already paid. Later we can talk about the future, but tonight I really must go.' A slow smile crept over William's face as he thought of a solution.

And so it was that Elizabeth found herself walking up to the door of the party dressed in a white lab coat and safety glasses, with William's arms around her shoulders in a decidedly protective stance. 'If at any point you get uncomfortable, let me know and I'll get you out of there.'

Elizabeth rolled her eyes again. 'William, for Pete's sake, they're _scientists_! Calm yourself.' William was still not so sure, but allowed her to knock on the door. A silhouette appeared at the door and greeted Lizzy with a hug. William jumped when he heard the voice that spoke to her.

'Hi Lizzy, you're just in time. Frank is so drunk right now he can hardly stand. This will be hilarious!'

'Hi Richard. Um, I have someone with me who…'

'Rich, is that you?' William asked, walking up behind Lizzy. Richard looked at him in surprise.

'Will! What are you doing here?' William looked at Elizabeth.

'I'm with her. Just making sure things don't get out of hand. Whose party is this anyway?'

'Frank Churchill's. He's getting married in a couple of days. It's just the other guys in the biology department at the university.' William suddenly felt very relieved; he had met Richard's colleagues at a party once, and they were not exactly the rowdy type.

'Wait, you guys know each other?' Elizabeth asked, confused.

'You might say that,' Rich replied. 'We're cousins.' Elizabeth bit her lip to keep back a giggle.

'He isn't _that_ cousin you told me about, is he?' she asked Richard. He nodded and the two of them cracked up laughing, leaving William feeling out of the loop and not a bit embarrassed.

'I don't even want to know what you told her about me Richard. How do you two know each other?'

'Well, you know my obsession with Tolkien, Will. Karen and I saw that the English department was having a presentation on the resurgence of Tolkien in the twenty-first century. Turns out that Lizzy was the presenter and gave a fascinating talk. We talked to her afterwards and ended up going out for coffee to discuss the last resurgence of Tolkien in the seventies. Then we had her to dinner, blah blah blah, and now she's practically a fixture.' Lizzy laughed.

'Although at first I thought it a bit strange that a professor and his wife were chatting me up; I thought they were going to ask me to participate in some kinky threesome or something!' Another hearty round of laughter was interrupted by someone calling from inside. Richard yelled back and ushered them into the house.

'We'll have to save the story of how _you_ guys know each other for another time; you need to dance before Frank passes out!' Elizabeth walked into the room full of guys and stepped up to the very inebriated but very good-looking groom-to-be.

'Hello professor. Are you ready for your anatomy lesson?' she asked in a seductive voice before ripping off the glasses and lab coat to reveal a set of lacy bra and panties complete with garters, much like the ones William saw, except these matched the white of the lab coat. Much to William's relief, however, Elizabeth spent the rest of the time dancing, not stripping, except for putting her leg up on Frank's knee to allow him to remove her garter.

After her performance, Elizabeth collected her tips and her things, gave Richard a kiss on the cheek with a promise to stop by soon, and led William out the door.

'So why didn't you take your top off?' he asked impulsively. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

'Did you want me to?'

'No, but you were going to for me.'

'I get paid a different amount for how much I take off. Charles paid more for that. Richard and Karen thought it would be a bit awkward if I were topless in front of him, but since we've been to the beach together, he's seen me in a bikini, so not as big a deal to be in underwear.'

'Do you, um, charge any more than Charles paid?' he asked uncomfortably.

'No, I don't go totally nude William,' she replied to the question he really wanted to ask. He breathed a sigh of relief, but was disturbed by her continued use of the present tense when describing her stripping job.

'So do you have any more jobs lined up soon?'

She pulled out her calendar. 'Hmm… looks like November is a slow month. So far just one birthday party on the 5th.'

William pulled the car to the side of the road and slammed on the breaks. 'You have _got_ to be kidding me!' he bellowed. 'I understood tonight, fine, you were paid in advance, you couldn't cancel at the last minute. But not all your jobs will be my cousin and his buddies, and I can't be there to protect you all the time.'

'Who says I need your protection?' she asked defensively. 'I've done just fine the past few months. And I thought we went over this; what right do you have to make decisions for me? Unless you're willing to pay for my grad school, I need to keep this job.'

'I would be more than happy to pay for your grad school if you would promise to stop stripping for other people.'

She laughed derisively. 'Oh ha ha. Very funny, William. Yeah, you're just going to lay out twenty grand a year for the next two years, just like that. Get real.'

'I'm being perfectly real. Do you have any idea what my net worth is?' She rolled her eyes as if not very impressed, but started when he told her a very large number.

'You're kidding. You are personally worth that much?'

'Yes. So you see, forty grand is not that big a deal.' Elizabeth was shocked. She couldn't believe he was offering to pay for her grad school after only a few hours' acquaintance, most of which were spent making love. He had to be teasing her.

'Look William, you are no more going to pay for my grad school than I am going to sprout wings. I really need this money to pay my tuition, and I can't afford to give it up for a job that doesn't pay nearly as well. I get a few hundred bucks a pop with this gig, and in busy months I make several thousand dollars. McDonald's won't be willing to pay that, I assure you.'

'Do you think I'm joking? I have every intention of following through. If you stop stripping as a job, I will pay your grad school. Just send me the bill and I will write the check. Better yet, roll over in the morning and tell me where to send it.' He began to stroke her arm, trying to turn the mood. Elizabeth, indignant, was having none of it.

'Oh I see, you want to be my sugar daddy. That's a good basis for a relationship, now isn't it?' she replied sarcastically. William turned so they faced each other and put his face close to hers.

'I want to be with you, and I want to be the only one, ever again, who sees what you have to offer. I'm not trying to control you; I just don't want to share you.' Elizabeth turned her head and could not reply to this.

'Can you take me back to your house? I left my car there, I'll need to drive home.' William was tempted to invite her to stay, but decided not to push his luck. When they arrived in his driveway he pulled in next to her car and helped her out. They looked at each other for a long time, not quite sure where they stood, not quite sure what to say.

'Will I see you soon?' William asked with unusual timidity.

'If you'd like.' _Damn, she's being difficult again_.

'I would like it, very much. Tell me I'll see you again.' She was powerless against that urgent tone.

'You'll see me again,' she agreed. He kissed her softly on the lips and helped her into her car. 'Thank you.'

'The pleasure is mine. We'll talk soon.' Elizabeth smiled and nodded as she started the car. With a little wave she drove away.

William stared after her, unable to call her back as he realized that he had not even gotten her phone number.


	2. Chapter 2

Elizabeth met her sister for lunch the next day with a despondent look on her face. William had not so much as asked for her number; he must have changed his mind about her after the party at Richard's, despite his fervent request to see her again. The thought depressed her, but she was resolved not to be unhappy about him if he could not accept her for who she was; this was, of course, easier said than done.

'Are you all right Lizzy?' Jane asked, concerned by her sister's silence and gloomy looks. 'Did everything go ok last night?'

'No, everything was crap, actually,' Elizabeth replied bitterly. 'Well… not _everything_ , but it certainly ended that way.'

'Did you go to William's?' Elizabeth's countenance grew more dismal.

'Yes. Hence all the trouble.'

'What happened? Was he rude or something?' Jane asked fretfully. Elizabeth snorted.

'Oh no, he was quite hospitable actually.' The look on Jane's face demanded more details. 'We… something happened between us. An instant connection if you will. Anyway, I had to go to that other job at Richard's friend's place, and William got all jealous and insisted on coming. We had a bit of a row, but I thought we had made up. Then when I left he didn't even ask for my number.'

'Wait, William became jealous of you because you danced for him?' Jane asked naïvely. Elizabeth's blush told her there was more to it. 'Oh… you didn't just dance for him' Elizabeth shook her head. 'Lizzy, you didn't…' No reply. 'You _did_! Lizzy, what were you thinking? I mean, he is Charles' best friend and I do trust him, but you don't know him from Adam! And you just… just…'

'Yes Jane, I went to bed with him. There, I'm a slut ok? But you should have already known that since I'm a fucking stripper,' Elizabeth spat vehemently. Jane reached for her hand and squeezed it gently.

'Lizzy, you know that is not what I meant. I just want you to be safe and happy, and I don't want people to toy with you.' Grateful for her sister's angelic disposition, Elizabeth sighed and patted her hand.

'I know, I'm sorry. It's just that William was making this big deal about how we had this connection and were perfect together and whatnot, and I felt it, I really did. He seemed all eager to see me again, but made no effort to make it possible. And then the little kiss he gave me when I left… it was like some little chaste goodbye kiss, not the kind of kiss you give someone you've just been intimate with and want to be intimate with again.'

'Maybe he just counted on being able to get the number from Charles,' Jane offered, which perked Elizabeth up a little bit.

'Yeah… or maybe Richard. Did you know that they're cousins?' Jane exclaimed surprise, and Elizabeth told her the story of the party. Conversation soon progressed to other things, and with a slightly happier heart, Elizabeth returned home to study. When she arrived, her answering machine light was flashing.

**********

William paced his living room floor trying to figure out how to get in touch with Elizabeth. He had tried the phone book, but her number was unlisted. He immediately thought about Richard, but then decided he did not want to explain why he had accompanied Elizabeth to the party but was not on intimate enough terms with her to have her number. Then it dawned on him: Charles! Charles had been trying to force Elizabeth's phone number on him for ages; now would be the perfect time to take him up on his offer.

'Charles Bingley.'

'Hi Charles, William here.'

'William! How are you? Did you have a good birthday?' Charles asked slyly.

'Actually, that's why I'm calling. I would like to accept your offer of Elizabeth Bennet's phone number, the sooner the better.' William imagined that he could hear Charles grinning across the phone line.

'I take it she stopped by then. I hope it was… entertaining.'

'More than you know Charles. Can I have that number now?'

'Of course. 555-1024.'

'Thank you.'

'Sure thing. Oh, and William?'

'Yes?'

'I told you so.' With a wicked grin, Charles hung up the phone before William could get another word in.

'So you did,' William murmured to the dial tone. He hung up and prepared himself to make the call to Elizabeth. The phone rang several times before a machine picked up.

'Hi, this is Lizzy. Leave a message and I'll call you back!' He smiled at her cheery voice.

'Hi Elizabeth, this is William. You must think I'm a perfect idiot for not getting your number last night. Blame it on a lapse of concentration after looking in your eyes. Fortunately, my dysfunctional brain remembered that Charles knew it, so I got it from him. I hope you don't mind. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to do something sometime, like dinner and dancing, uh, not _that_ kind of dancing, but the kind you do in pairs in a ballroom and stuff. OK, I'll shut up before I put my foot any deeper in my mouth. Call me back if you are interested. 555-2828. Bye.'

**********

Elizabeth sighed happily as she listened to the message. He hadn't forgotten her, he hadn't rejected her. She called him back immediately and they made a lunch date for Saturday.

**********

'I hope you like meat. The place we're going is famous for the most amazing Angus steaks you'll ever eat,' William remarked as they drove to the restaurant.

'Mmm, I love steak! I tried going vegetarian with Jane once, but I didn't even last through dinner that day. Jane still doesn't eat meat because she can't stand the thought of eating cute animals, but I say throw them on my plate!' William smiled.

'Then you'll love this place. It's a churrascaria, a Brasilian steakhouse. You pay one price and they bring you out as much as you want, 15 different cuts of meat.'

'Oh my lord,' Lizzy replied, drooling. 'How did you find out about it?'

'I dated a Brasilian girl once. She educated me on some of the finer points of Brasilian culture. Just wait until you try a caipirinha.' They continued chatting until reaching the restaurant, which gave off the delicious aroma of grilled meats. Lizzy's eyes flashed with delight. 'The salad bar is quite extensive as well,' William offered.

'Why the hell would I eat _salad_ at a place like this?' Lizzy asked incredulously. William laughed at her complete lack of 'missishness' and decided that she was definitely the girl for him.

Lunch did not allow for much conversation, as Elizabeth was continuously putting one or another cut of meat into her mouth. William smiled as he watched her, and ended up eating perhaps half as much as his date. Afterwards, they took a long walk in the nearby park to aid their digestion.

'Oh William, that was wonderful! I haven't eaten that well in ages. I'm going to have to jog about 20 miles tomorrow to work that off!' Elizabeth joked, patting her stomach.

'I doubt that Elizabeth. I have it on good authority that your body can afford to pig out every now and then,' he said suggestively, making her blush.

'I think your authority might be biased,' she said flirtatiously. He stopped, looked into her eyes and kissed her hand.

'Undoubtedly.' They continued walking, but he did not relinquish her hand. After a long, but not unpleasant, silence, William decided to try and make conversation. 'So what else are you up to this weekend?' Later he would wish that he had kept his mouth shut.

'I have some reading to catch up on, and then I'm working a party tomorrow night.' William almost choked on his after-dinner mint.

'You're dancing again?' he asked, exasperated.

'Yeah, of course,' Elizabeth replied. 'I have to save up for next term's tuition.' William released her hand.

'I thought the other night… I thought that was the last one you were doing. That's what you said.' Elizabeth crossed her arms, preparing for a fight.

'No, I said I had to do that party, and then we could talk about the future. In the meantime, I was hired for a couple more parties.'

'You can't do them!' he cried. 'Surely you understand that!'

'No, I don't. _You_ don't understand that not all of us have seven-figure bank accounts. I cannot afford to give up this job unless I get a scholarship, and the English department isn't exactly rolling in money.'

'Elizabeth, I can't be with you if you're going to continue stripping for other men. I'm sorry, but I can't handle the thought of other people seeing you… like that.' Elizabeth's eyes pooled with tears, but she would not give up her independence and education to be with a man who could not accept her.

'Well, I can't be with _you_ if you can't accept me for who I am. I won't give up on my education because you're jealous. I'm sorry, you'll have to find someone else to take to the play tonight. Thanks for the great lunch. Goodbye William.' She planted a quick kiss on his lips and walked away to find a taxi, leaving him to once again stare after her and wonder how everything had gone so wrong, so quickly.

**********

William did not call again. Elizabeth hadn't really expected him to, and wasn't sure she wanted him to. But when he actually didn't, she found herself disappointed. A week passed, and another; when it had been a month with no contact, she gave up on ever getting that call.

It was a normal December day, grey, windy and cold, when she walked into her tiny office in the English department as usual. She took off her coat and scarf, hung them up, put the kettle on for tea, and booted up her computer. A knock on her door interrupted her reading of the short list of e-mails she had received over the weekend. It was her supervisor, Professor Madeleine Gardiner, a sweet, middle-aged woman whose mild demeanour concealed a sharp wit and a head for modern literature. She was one of the most brilliant people in her field, and Elizabeth was proud to be working for her. Today Maddy had an excited gleam in her eye as she sat down and accepted a cup of tea.

'Lizzy, you will not believe what has just happened! About a week ago, a large anonymous donation was made to the department, with instructions that the sum be used entirely as a scholarship for one of our current students. Though it didn't name you specifically, it almost seemed to have been designed with you in mind; it said, for a graduate student studying towards a master's degree in the field of twentieth-century literature, this award should be given based on need and publication record, with preference for female scholars. As our most prolific publisher among the grad students and the only woman studying twentieth-century literature, you are certainly the only one who fits into that mould perfectly, so the committee has decided to give it to you.' Elizabeth was shocked.

'How much is for?' she asked in amazement. Maddy's smile widened.

'The entire sum of your tuition beginning next semester, my dear. Fifty thousand dollars.' Elizabeth nearly choked on her tea.

'You've got to be kidding me.' Maddy shook her head, grinning ear-to-ear. 'You mean… my tuition is paid for? Starting in January?' Maddy nodded.

This was staggering; Elizabeth could hardly believe her good fortune. All her tuition paid for… as all her earnings from the fall were saved up, she had plenty of money to live on: this meant that she could give up her jobs and concentrate entirely on her research. As it occurred to her that she would no longer have to strip, the inevitable thought of William entered her mind. She pushed it out as quickly as it had come. She was not doing it for him; she was doing it for herself.

Elizabeth returned home still giddy to find Jane in almost as excited a state as herself. Before she had a chance to mention her scholarship, Jane stuck out her hand, which now held a gigantic diamond ring.

'Lizzy, he proposed! Charles and I are engaged! We're having a party to announce it next week!' Jane squealed with delight. Elizabeth embraced her sister tightly, rejoicing with her.

'Oh Jane, I knew it would happen! You two are so perfect together! I'm so happy for you.' She made Jane tell her all the details of the proposal, which had taken place during a romantic dinner the night before.

'He asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I said I didn't know yet; I asked him what _he_ wanted, and he took out the ring and said, 'For you to be my wife.'  Oh Lizzy, it was so perfect! I'm so happy!'

'How romantic!' Elizabeth sighed. 'Well, my news certainly pales in comparison.'

'I'm sorry Lizzy, I've been so caught up in my own happiness that I haven't even let you say a word. What news do you have?' Elizabeth told the story of the scholarship, and Jane's eyes widened.

'Lizzy! That does not pale at all! How wonderful for you! $50,000, that's amazing!'

'The best part is that I can quit my jobs and concentrate entirely on my research.'

'Does this mean you won't be stripping anymore?' Elizabeth nodded. 'Oh Lizzy, I'm so relieved. I was really beginning to worry about your safety doing that. I'm sorry, I know you don't want me butting in, but I'm very, very happy that you won't have to do that anymore.' Elizabeth hugged her sister, reassuring her that she understood her sentiments.

'To tell the truth, I'm relieved myself. Now, tell me more about your engagement! Have you started planning…'

**********

The engagement party was held at Charles' rather large townhouse in a very posh part of town. Champagne flowed like water and a live band kept a continuous flow of dance music for all those who wished to use the ballroom floor. Elizabeth wandered around the room, mingling with old friends and family members who had come to celebrate with Jane. She didn't even realize that William was there until she heard a deep voice ask her if she would like to dance. She whirled around and saw him standing with his hands in his pockets, staring pointedly at his shoes.

'William! I didn't know you were here.'

'I am going to be the best man, so I figured I should be here.' Silence. 'So, did you want to dance?'

'Oh… of course.' She set down her glass and let him lead her to the floor as the band began a waltz.

'You dance very well,' he said, 'I mean, ballroom dancing, that is.' Elizabeth let it slide.

'You do as well. Do you have formal training?'

'My mother began teaching me when I was 8. It's come in very handy.'

'I imagine.' Another long pause.

'So how have you been?' he began again.

'Very well, thank you. Just last week I learned that I got a scholarship that will cover all my tuition beginning next semester! It was very exciting news.'

'I know,' he replied. She looked at him questioningly, and he stuttered, 'I mean, Charles told me. I heard from Charles that you had got something. I'm sure you deserve it. Congratulations, that's wonderful for you.'

Elizabeth eyed him suspiciously, but merely said, 'Yes,' and continued dancing. 'How have you been?' she asked after a moment's hesitation.

'Oh, not bad. Busy with work. Same old, same old.' She looked up at his face and saw the regret in his eyes as he gazed down at her. He quickly looked away, and soon after, the dance ended. 'Thank you for the dance. Enjoy your evening.' He bowed and walked away. Elizabeth followed him with her eyes, admiring his tall, shapely form as he gracefully made his way across the room. Barely knowing what she did, she followed him.

'So, did you tell her?' she heard Charles asking him when she got closer.

'No, I couldn't. I don't know how she'll react, and anyway, what would I say? 'Oh, by the way, you know that scholarship you got? Yeah, that was from me. Be grateful.'  Forget it. I don't want her gratitude, I want…' he stopped.

'You want what?' Charles goaded.

'I want her affection. I want her to like _me_ , not just go out with me because I paid for her school. No way, I don't want her to know, at least not now. I have a lot of making up to do for the way I treated her first.' William shook his head and walked off. Elizabeth, who by now was hiding in the corner to keep from being seen while she eavesdropped, was stunned. William had put up the money for the scholarship?

Leaning against the wall for support, Elizabeth tried to work out her emotions. Fury immediately sprang to mind. The insufferable presumption of the man! To think that he could just throw money at the problem and it would go away; that he could get her to stop stripping and make her indebted to him at the same time! Her anger raged at this perceived attempt to buy her independence and gratitude.

But soon, more reasonable feelings overtook her. He had admitted to Charles that he had mistreated her and wanted to make up for it; he did not want her gratitude and especially did not want her to know about his role in providing the scholarship. Although there was a selfish motivation in wanting her to stop stripping, his intentions in putting up the money were pure. His actions showed a depth of feeling for her that she had not expected. Now, even his neglecting to call her took on a different meaning: he was thinking about the things he had said, he had realized his errors, and he had arranged to donate the money to the English department before approaching her again and attempting to reconcile. In this new light, her heart readily, happily forgave all.

Elizabeth ran to her sister with a huge smile on her face. 'Jane! Jane, it was William.'

'What was William?'

'The money! William is the one who put up the money for the scholarship!'

'What? Are you sure?'

'Yes! I heard him talking about it with Charles. He must have known that I wouldn't have accepted the money directly, so he did it through the university and made the requirements so specific that only I could get it.' She filled Jane in on the details of the conversation she overheard. Jane was all astonishment.

'Oh Lizzy, he must really like you if he went to so much trouble. And he didn't even want you to know! How very sweet!' Her sister could not but agree. 'Well, what are you going to do now?' A mischievous twinkle appeared in her eyes as she came up with a plan.

_Several days later…_

William's finger refused to dial that last number. He had tried countless times to call Elizabeth, but to no avail. Their last argument was still fresh in his mind; he could not push aside her rejection and reprimand:  _I can't be with_ you _if you can't accept me for who I am…_ How those words had tortured him! Now he had come to his senses, but he still could not find the courage to put himself up for another possible rejection.

He was startled from his reverie by a knock on the door. Unable to account for a visitor at this hour, he opened it to find Elizabeth standing on his porch in a long overcoat. Before he could even say hello or express his surprise, he felt her hand come into contact with his face in a painful slap.

'What was that for?' he asked, rubbing his cheek.

'That was for having the presumption to pay for my tuition in such a sneaky, underhanded manner!' she replied before grabbing his collar and planting a deep, passionate kiss on his lips.

Several minutes later, when they finally separated, he asked, 'And what was _that_ for?'

She replied in a gentler tone, 'That was for having the generosity to pay my tuition in such a sneaky, underhanded manner.' He could not prevent a grin from creeping onto his face. 'Thank you, William, it means a lot to me. But you know that I can't just accept it like that.' He frowned.

'Of course you can. I want you to have it.' Elizabeth shook her head.

'I never take what I don't earn.' She pushed herself past him into the house and closed the door. He looked at her questioningly as she began to unbutton her coat. 'I must insist on being allowed to work off my debt. I figured that I could give you a discounted rate, since you paid so much up front, say, $50 a visit for 1000 visits. Of course, I'll have to give up the rest of my clientele to have the time to dance that much for you. I hope that's satisfactory.' William at first looked confused; then his face broke into a huge smile as Elizabeth let the coat fall to the floor, revealing the same French maid outfit she had used on the night she first danced for him. 'Do we have a deal?'

He walked up to her, picked her up, and pushed her against the wall, wrapping her legs around his waist as he kissed her. She felt him begin to harden against her, his arousal intensifying hers. When he let her down again, she began running her hands along his back and shoulders, kissing his neck, and unbuttoning his neatly pressed white dress shirt. William smacked her bottom in response and pulled away.

'Perhaps this would be better continued upstairs,' he whispered suggestively, not giving her a chance to reply before he slung her over his shoulder in a manner more befitting a caveman than a businessman. Upon reaching his room, he wasted no time throwing her down on the bed and beginning a hasty removal of his clothing. Elizabeth watched him with amusement.

'In a hurry William?' she teased as his trousers fell to his ankles and he kicked them off.

He smiled bashfully. 'I've missed you,' he explained. 'And once I'm in bed with you, I don't want to get out again to take off my clothes.'

'Fair enough,' Lizzy replied laughingly, allowing his now-free hands to begin her disrobing. It wasn't long before they were both completely bare and holding each other tightly under the covers.

'I've missed you so much Elizabeth,' William repeated into her ear. 'I've tried to call so many times, but I just couldn't push that last button. I thought you'd never want to talk to me again.' His hands began wandering over her body, reminding her of the sensations she'd almost forgotten he could inspire.

'I missed you too. I wanted you to call, but I couldn't swallow my pride enough to call you. I'm so sorry William.'

He shushed her. 'It's all right. Let's forget about all that and start fresh, right now.' Elizabeth's agreement ended their estrangement, and to seal the union, William gently entered her. They began slowly, the pain of their separation evaporating with the perspiration on their skin; but soon their long-contained lust overtook them, and their rhythm became fast and furious. Elizabeth cried out his name as he finally pushed her over the edge. As his own climax overtook him, he pulled her close and allowed her scent to envelop him. 'I love you,' he whispered.

'I love you too William,' Elizabeth replied, entwining her fingers in his curls, relishing the feel of his skin. They cuddled together this way until they fell asleep.

The next morning, Elizabeth woke up and disentangled herself from William's arms to go to the bathroom. He stirred but rolled back over onto his stomach, so she freshened up with the expectation of climbing back into bed for more sleep and snuggling. To her surprise, when she returned the bedroom, William was sitting up in the easy chair that sat against the wall.

'Hey you,' she said sweetly, sitting on his lap and placing little kisses all over his face.

'Good morning. I'm ready now.'

'Ready for what, sweetie?' William grinned impishly and reached down next to him to push the play button on a small boombox. A sultry melody came through the small speakers. 'What's that for?' she asked with mock suspicion.

'Well I'm not paying you not to dance!' William answered, pushing her off his lap and giving her a playful smack on the bottom. 'Where's that thong?'


End file.
